Monday, July 6, 2009
Social responsibility - doing the right thing
By Dr Emanuel Finn
Social Responsibility is an ethical or ideological theory and practice that an entity whether it is a government, corporation, organization or individual has a responsibility to society.
This responsibility can be "negative", meaning there is a responsibility to refrain from acting (resistance stance) or it can be "positive," meaning there is a responsibility to act.
These entities and individuals have realized that in order to aim at long-term profitability, satisfaction, sustainability and credibility in today’s world, they don’t have a choice and must act in accordance with norms of right, adopt and practice the acts of Social responsibility.
Social Responsibility is about companies, governments and corporation making smart and ethical business decisions. It is much more than just winning elections, counting up short-term dollars and cents bringing in investors and investments, employing people and playing favorites to supporters and well wishers only.
Wise decision-makers look down the road at the impact today’s choices will have tomorrow: on people, on the community, and on the opinions and behaviors of stakeholders, customers, citizens and consumers.
This writer believes that “socially responsible” means that government; business, people and organizations must behave ethically and with sensitivity toward social, cultural, economic and environmental issues.
Striving for social responsibility helps individuals, organizations and governments have a positive impact on development and society with a positive contribution to sustainable bottom-line results.
Social responsibility is very important because it understands the basic concepts of inclusion, respect and transparency. In recent months many Dominicans at home and abroad have been upset by widely publicized allegations of fraud by government executives.
These allegations are the antithesis of corporate social responsibility obligations and practices. If proven to true in the future, they perfect examples of the harmful products of not adopting social responsibility good public policy agenda.
Moving forward, I hope this government and others to follow will become more conscious of whom and how they conduct the people’s business and seek ways prevent the real or perceived perception of not being socially responsible.
In 2007 the Government of Trinidad and Tobago introduced measures to increase corporate social responsibility (CSR) best practices in businesses. In a seminar entitled “Securing the quality of social and ethical accounting, auditing and reporting”.
The government said that all businesses and government in the twin island nation are being encouraged to adopt CSR strategies.
Corporate and Government Social Responsibility are vital if we are to realize the vision of achieving developed nation status. CSR has been touted as one of the most important criteria of corporate success in the global environment.
The concept and practice has certainly grown in popularity and importance recently with the spread of multinational businesses. It has become an international benchmark of good business practice and governance.”
At the recently concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a large percentage of the delegates said that corporate social responsibility is the most important measure in corporations and governments methods of conducting their day t day operations.
Corporate social responsibility is essentially a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.
This means not only fulfilling legal expectations, but also going beyond compliance and investing in human capital, the environment and good relations with stakeholders.
Stakeholders also mean the people of a country who must work for foreign investors who may or may not care about their welfare or that of their country besides making huge profits.
The development of CSR reflects the growing expectations of governments, community, companies and stakeholders of the evolving role of this huge paradigm shift in society and the response to growing environmental, social and economic pressures.
Through voluntary commitment to CSR, progressive companies and governments are hoping to send a positive signal of their behavior to their various stakeholders (employees, shareholders, investors, citizens, consumers, regulators and NGOs).
In so doing, they are making an investment in their future and helping to increase the credibility and transparency in government and profitability of businesses and most importantly increase the welfare that of the less fortunate citizens and care for the environment.
Social Responsibility is an ethical or ideological theory and practice that an entity whether it is a government, corporation, organization or individual has a responsibility to society.
This responsibility can be "negative", meaning there is a responsibility to refrain from acting (resistance stance) or it can be "positive," meaning there is a responsibility to act.
These entities and individuals have realized that in order to aim at long-term profitability, satisfaction, sustainability and credibility in today’s world, they don’t have a choice and must act in accordance with norms of right, adopt and practice the acts of Social responsibility.
Social Responsibility is about companies, governments and corporation making smart and ethical business decisions. It is much more than just winning elections, counting up short-term dollars and cents bringing in investors and investments, employing people and playing favorites to supporters and well wishers only.
Wise decision-makers look down the road at the impact today’s choices will have tomorrow: on people, on the community, and on the opinions and behaviors of stakeholders, customers, citizens and consumers.
This writer believes that “socially responsible” means that government; business, people and organizations must behave ethically and with sensitivity toward social, cultural, economic and environmental issues.
Striving for social responsibility helps individuals, organizations and governments have a positive impact on development and society with a positive contribution to sustainable bottom-line results.
Social responsibility is very important because it understands the basic concepts of inclusion, respect and transparency. In recent months many Dominicans at home and abroad have been upset by widely publicized allegations of fraud by government executives.
These allegations are the antithesis of corporate social responsibility obligations and practices. If proven to true in the future, they perfect examples of the harmful products of not adopting social responsibility good public policy agenda.
Moving forward, I hope this government and others to follow will become more conscious of whom and how they conduct the people’s business and seek ways prevent the real or perceived perception of not being socially responsible.
In 2007 the Government of Trinidad and Tobago introduced measures to increase corporate social responsibility (CSR) best practices in businesses. In a seminar entitled “Securing the quality of social and ethical accounting, auditing and reporting”.
The government said that all businesses and government in the twin island nation are being encouraged to adopt CSR strategies.
Corporate and Government Social Responsibility are vital if we are to realize the vision of achieving developed nation status. CSR has been touted as one of the most important criteria of corporate success in the global environment.
The concept and practice has certainly grown in popularity and importance recently with the spread of multinational businesses. It has become an international benchmark of good business practice and governance.”
At the recently concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a large percentage of the delegates said that corporate social responsibility is the most important measure in corporations and governments methods of conducting their day t day operations.
Corporate social responsibility is essentially a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.
This means not only fulfilling legal expectations, but also going beyond compliance and investing in human capital, the environment and good relations with stakeholders.
Stakeholders also mean the people of a country who must work for foreign investors who may or may not care about their welfare or that of their country besides making huge profits.
The development of CSR reflects the growing expectations of governments, community, companies and stakeholders of the evolving role of this huge paradigm shift in society and the response to growing environmental, social and economic pressures.
Through voluntary commitment to CSR, progressive companies and governments are hoping to send a positive signal of their behavior to their various stakeholders (employees, shareholders, investors, citizens, consumers, regulators and NGOs).
In so doing, they are making an investment in their future and helping to increase the credibility and transparency in government and profitability of businesses and most importantly increase the welfare that of the less fortunate citizens and care for the environment.
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// posted by TheDominican.net @ 3:03 PM
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the concept is first class and correct, but it will never happen undr Skerro there is no money it it for him
# posted by 
: July 6, 2009 6:13 PM
: July 6, 2009 6:13 PM
I observe a very respectable news outlet like The Dominican.net has been taken over by the likes of Dr. Finn to Spew their hatred. Please take back control Dr. Fountaine Don not allow hatred to take root on the prestigious news outlet.
# posted by : July 11, 2009 10:42 PM
: July 11, 2009 10:42 PM Links to this post:
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